Rapid
Rapid is a heavyweight robot which competed in Series 9 and 10 of Robot Wars, entered by design and manufacturing firm RPD International. It reached the Grand Final in Series 10 where it was destroyed after it burst into flames due to damage from defending Champion Carbide. Design Rapid was built through heavy use of CNC, and is box-wedge shaped, armoured in a reflective metal. Its weapon is a very broad flipper with seven tonnes of force, which also serves as the robot's self-righting mechanism. Rapid is driven by four wheels towards the back of its shell. The robot's shape is somewhat reminiscent of Turbulence. According to the Robot Wars website, Rapid cost £25,000 to build. This can be explained by the CNC techniques made available by Josh Valman's company RPD International, and Rapid uses top-of-the-line components including motors valued at £1,000. Rapid is reportedly capable of throwing a van one metre into the air. Robot History Rapid will compete in Episode 1. It is the only newcomer in its melee as it will face former Grand Finalist Terrorhurtz, Nuts 2 and Jellyfish. As soon as activate was called, Rapid targeted the lightest machine in the arena, and launched Jellyfish into the air. Rapid required a few seconds to close its flipper, where it was pursued by Terrorhurtz, but once the flipper had retracted, Rapid stormed under Jellyfish, and on a second charge, trapped it on top of the flipper, and backed it into the arena wall. Rapid lined Jellyfish up against the arena wall, where its next flip powerfully threw Jellyfish backwards. Team RPD noticed that Nuts 2 was suffering from mobility issues, so Rapid clamped its open flipper onto the chains of Nuts, and dragged it towards Matilda, which threw Nuts 2 out of the arena with her flywheel. Rapid returned to Jellyfish, pushing it into an empty CPZ to throw it high once more, although Rapid then sustained a blow from Terrorhurtz. Rapid's flip has caused Jellyfish to lose fluent control, so Rapid fled from the pursuing Terrorhurtz, failing to breach its wedge, but cease was called and both robots qualified, with Rapid only sustaining minor damage to its wedge. In the second round, Rapid was drawn against vertical spinner Aftershock, entered by Grand Finalists from the previous series Team Shock. Rapid was not hesitant in its attack, and snuck straight under the front ground clearance of Aftershock, driving it into the arena wall and flipping it high, causing the spinner to land on its disc, and self-right. However, while Rapid's flipper was still open, Aftershock hit it from underneath, and knocked the robot towards Sir Killalot. Rapid was still mobile, but on another charge, it rode up the ground clearance of Aftershock, and was thrown over. Rapid attempted to self-right, but threw itself straight back onto its open flipper, and tumbled onto its back. Rapid's flipper would not close, leaving it unable to self-right, so it was counted out and defeated by knockout. It was revealed after this battle that Aftershock had significantly damaged a bearing within Rapid that would normally take eight hours to repair. One of Rapid's wheels had also locked up, which also could not be repaired in time, meaning Rapid was unable to compete in the remainder of the second round, and the team forfeited from the competition, and Rapid was replaced by Jellyfish. Results Wins/Losses *Wins: 4 *Losses: 3 Category:Competitors Category:British Robots Category:Heavyweight Robots Category:UK Robot Wars Competitors Category:Robot Wars 2017 competitors Category:Robots with rear-hinged true flippers Category:Robots armed with flipping weapons Category:Robots from Greater London Category:Robots that have forfeited Category:Robots that have never had a Judges Decision Category:Robot Wars Series 10 Robots Category:UK Robot Wars Grand-Finalists Category:Robots with more wins than losses Category:World Record Holders